1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pre-filled columns for flash chromatography. These columns, which are filled with spherical and porous silica gel or with semi-spherical and porous silica gel, allow a considerable increase in the quality of the purification of synthetic products by means of flash chromatography.
The technique of flash chromatography can particularly be applied to the fast purification under low and medium pressure of synthetic products in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agrochemical and biotechnology research.
2. State of the Art of Flash Chromatography
The technique of chromatography was discovered more than 100 years ago by a Russian chemist named TSWETT. This chemist described the separating power of alumina oxide placed in a glass column on which he deposited chlorophyll. He observed the descending migration of color rings along the glass column.
Since his discovery, numerous analytical, preparative, and industrial applications have been developed.
Gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can be cited as being among the most important applications. Flash chromatography was born from the need to purify synthetic products rapidly and simply in a laboratory context and in quantities comprised between 10 mg to 100 g.
Flash chromatography differs from preparative HPLC in the particle size of the silica gel granules, namely the granules are bigger in flash chromatography, and provide a simpler and more rapid application of flash chromatography.
Pre-filled flash chromatography columns filled with irregular porous silica gel having particle size of 40-60 μm or 20-40 μm, have been on the market for several years. These new chromatography columns brought an enhanced ease of use through immediate application. However, these columns did not bring any advantage in terms of the quality of separation.